Shaft turning and steering apparatus



Nov. 22, 1966 w. J. GILMORE E AL 3,286,544

SHAFT TURNING AND STEERING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 15, 1963 INENTORS WILLIAM J. GILMORE BY EUGENE G. SCHMIDT fZ WZ K f 44 ATTORNEYS Nov 22, 1966 w. J. GILMORE ET AL 3,286,544

SHAFT TURNING AND STEERING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 15, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3 46 INVENTORS WILLIAM J'. GILMORE EUGENE G. SCHMIDT fi g BQIYMMIMM ATTORNE VS United States Patent Office Patented Nov. 22, 1966 SHAFT TURNENG AND STEERING APPARATUS William J. Gilmore, Manitou Beach, and Eugene G.

Schmidt, Adrian, Mich, assignors to American Chain & Cable Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of N ew York Filed Nov. 15, 1963, Ser. No. 324,927 14 iilaims. (Cl. 74-483) This invention relates to apparatus for turning a shaft which is selectively operable by one of a plurality of control assemblies. More particularly it relates to apparatus for turning a boat tiller shaft which is selectively operable from one of two operating stations.

The apparatus is particularly applicable in boats which have steering controls located both in the cabin and out on a flying bridge. Generally both of the steering controls are always positively engaged with the steering mechanism of the boat and the boat can at all times be operated from either of the two stations. The advantage of having dual steering stations has always been accompanied with the disadvantage of having one operable steering station which is unattended by the operator of the ship and can thereby be the cause of an accident. It is an object of this invention to provide apparatus for turning a boat tiller shaft from more than one station while retaining the safety factor desired by permitting selective operation from only one operating station at a time. Such an arrangement will eliminate friction of the push-pull control and inertia of the wheel at the unused station. It is essential to have such an arrangement when used in conjunction with an automatic pilot because of the additional load imposed on the system by the automatic pilot mechanism.

Broadly stated, the apparatus of the invention is for turning a shaft, and the apparatus is selectively operable by one of a plurality of control assemblies. The apparatus consists of a lever arm with connecting means on the lever arm for attachment to the shaft to be turned. A plurality of shift units are pivotally mounted on the arm and each is pivotally movable independent of the other. A secondary lever portion is provided on each of the units to which one of the control assemblies it attachable, and clutch means are provided on the arm for selective interlocking engagement with either one of the units to permit the engaged unit and the lever arm to turn togetherindependent of the other shift unit. If the apparatus is specifically intended to be operated by one of two control assemblies then the apparatus will be provided with only first and second shift units pivotally mounted on the arm.

With the apparatus described, since the clutch means can only engage one of the shift units at a time and since each of the shift units is movable independently of each other, this simple mechanism permits the shaft to be turned from either of two stations and also insures that the station from which the apparatus is not being operated is completely inoperative.

The invention also contemplates boats steering apparatus for steering a tiller shaft from one of two respective steering stations. In its more detailed form the apparatus comprises a lever arm which is attached to and extends laterally from the tiller shaft with first and second shift plates pivotally mounted on the arm and independently pivotal about the same axis. The shift plates are spaced from each other and have arcuate openings formed therein. Two push-pull control cable assemblies are provided and each is attached to one of the plates and is operable at a steering station. A secondary lever portion is included in the respective plates for attachment to a respective push-pull cable assembly. A clutch bar is reciprocably mounted on the arm and is positioned within the openings to reciprocate in selective operative engagement with either of the plates to permit the engaged plate and the lever arm to turn together independent of the other plate. Connected to the clutch bar and operable at one of the steering stations is an auxiliary push-pull contr-ol cable assembly. The auxiliary push-pull cable assembly provides means for moving the clutch bar into locking engagement with one of the plates whereupon the shaft can be turned by the control cable assembly at its steering station independent of the other control cable. In a further improvement two auxiliary push-pull control cable assemblies can be operatively connected to the clutch means whereby the clutch means can be selectively engaged in either of the shift plates from both steering stations.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is described herein below with reference to the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of boat steering apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the mechanism for turning the shaft with one of two control cables, including an enlarged side elevation partly in section of a clutch control cable knob;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section taken substantially along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 2 modified by including a pair of clutch control cables.

The apparatus -of the invention is shown in its preferred embodiment for steering the tiller shaft of a boat from two remote steering stations, usually located in the cabin and on the flying bridge. As shown in FIGS. 1-3, a lever arm 10 is fixed to a square tiller shaft 11. The lever arm 10 is substantially flat and is fixed to the shaft 11 by inserting the shaft into a square opening 12 which is cut into the arm adjacent one end portion thereof. Cut longitudinally in the arm and extending on both sides of the opening 12 is a narrow elongated slit 13. By providing this slit 13, the arm can easily be positioned on the shaft 11 since the size of the opening 12 can exceed the size of the shaft. A transverse bore 14 is provided at the endmost portion of the arm adjacent the opening 12 and a bolt 15 extends through the bore and has a tightening nut 16 affixed thereto. Once the arm 10 is positioned on the shaft 11, simply tightening the nut 16 will reduce the size of the square opening 12 by narrowing the size of the slit 13, thereby securely fixing the arm to the shaft.

Pivotally mounted on opposite side of the flat arm 10 are first and second shift plates 17 and 18. The shift plates are substantially flat irregular shaped members which are substantially matching in shape, and are aligned in overlying relationship such that they are substantially in registry with each other. Arcuate openings 19 and 20 are out into each of the shift plates 17 and 18 respectively, with the arcuate cutoff segments describing an are which is equal to the arc described by rotation about the pivotal point of the plates. Extending laterally from each of the unitary plates 17 and 18 are secondary lever portions 21 and 22 respectively. These secondary lever portions 21 and 22 extend for a suflicient length from the pivotal points of the plates to provide adequate leverage to pivot the plates, or the plate and the arm when they are united as will be seen, with minimal effort. Cut through the first and second plates and essentially defining pivotal points thereof, are circular openings 23 and 24. Also, there is a bore 25 cut through the arm 10 near the midpoint of the arm. The plates are mounted on opposite sides of the arm 10, as shown in FIG. 3, by inserting a bolt 26 through the openings 23 and 24 of the shift plates and through the bore 25. Plastic spacers 27 and 28 are positioned between the opposed flat surfaces of the arm and the first and second plates 17 and 18 respectively.

3 Between the head of the bolt 26 and the first plate 17 and between a nut 29 and the second plate 18 there are provided plastic washers 30 and 31. The complete mounting assembly with the plastic spacers and washers positioned as shown and described permits free pivotal movement of each of the plates independent of the other plates with little frictional resistance, while still securely mounting them on the arm 10.

Formed in the lever arm between the bore and the end of the lever arm opposite to the end adjacent which the square opening 12 is provided, is a rectangular opening 32. Positioned in the opening and extending across the opening perpendicular to the longitudinal extension of the arm, is a rod 33. A clutch bar 34 is mounted on the rod 32, with the rod extending through the center of the bar so that it is freely reciprocable on the rod. The bar extends out of the rectangular opening 32 and through the arcuate openings 19 and 20 of the first and second plates 17 and 18. Cut into the plates 17 and 18 are opening into the arcuate openings 19 and 20 at substantially the peak of the are described are recessed portions and 36. By this arrangement, when the recessed portions 35 and 36 are aligned in registry with each other, the clutch bar 34 can be moved from locking engagement with one of the recessed portions to locking engagement with the other recessed portion. It is to be noted that by this structural arrangement it is only when the recessed portions are aligned that the clutch bar can be moved out of locking engagement with the plate in which it is engaged, and thus an inherent safety feature is built into the device.

Securely attached to the end of the clutch bar 34 extending out of the first plate 17 are a pair of spaced flange supports 37 which serve to support a cylindrical plug 38 transversely extending between the flange supports. An internally threaded bore 39 is cut through the plug 38 perpendicular to its axis at substantially the midpoint thereof. Positioned between the square opening 12 and the bore 25 of the arm 10 is a raised journal portion 40 of the arm. Rec-iprocably mounted on the journal portion 40, is a fork-shaped anchoring member 41 which is mounted on a bolt 42 that extends through the journal portion 40.

An auxiliary push-pull control cable assembly 43 is connected to the device described, with its core element 44 extending through the bore 39 of the plug 38 and threaded to the anchoring member 41, and its cable casing 45 is fixedly attached to the clutch bar 34 by means of an end adapter 46 which is attached to the cable casing 45 and is threaded into the plug 38. The opposite end of the cable casing assembly 43 is located at a steering station remote from the apparatus described and has its casing 45 fixed in a mounting assembly 47. A knob 48 is attached to the core element 44, and by means of this arrangement the core element is movable with respect to its casing to transmit motion to the clutch bar 34.

Attached to the secondary lever portions 21 and 22 of the first and second shift plates 17 and 18 respectively are cable connectors 50 and 51 which are attached to the core elements 52 and 53 of push-pull control cable assemblies 54 and 55. Positioned close to adapters 50 and 51 is a cable casing holding device 56 which retains cable casing anchorage fittings 57 and 58 of control cable assemblies 54 and in a stationary position. The control cable assemblies 54 and 55 are connected in operative engagement with steering devices 59 and 60 which are usually located in the cabin and on the flying bridge of the boat.

In operation of the embodiment shown in FIGS. l-3, the clutch bar 34 is in locking engagement with the recessed portion 35 of the first plate 17. Thus, the first plate 17 is locked in relation to the arm 10 and the two must move together as a unit. By operating the steering device 59, the control cable assembly 54 is activated. As steering wheel 61 is rotated the core element 53 slides within its assembly casing 54 and thereby pushes or pulls the secondary lever portion 31. Since the first plate 1'! and the arm 10 are locked together, the shaft 11 is rotated by this push or pull force on the secondary lever portion 21 thereby effectively steering the boat.

It is to be noted that during this steering operation the second shift plate 18 is freely pivotal about the bolt 26 and the turning of the arm 10 and the first plate 17 will not transmit motion to the second steering device 60, and of course no steering can be effected with the second steering device. Furthermore, because the clutch bar 34 extends through the arcuate openings 19 and 20, the bar cannot pivot out of engagement with the recessed portion 35. This safety locking effect is achieved in this embodiment by providing arcuate openings of narrow width relative to the size of the clutch bar, as well as by positioning the clutch bar so that its axis of reciprocation is located nearest to the edge of the plate in which the recessed portions 35 and 36 are formed, thereby limiting its pivotal movement so that it can occur only when the recessed portions are in registry with each other.

When the recessed portions 35 and 36 are in registry, the knob 48 is pulled and the core element 44 is displaced relative to its casing 45 causing the clutch bar 34 to pivot out of engagement in recessed portion 35 and into locking engagement with recess portion 36 in the second shift plate 18. Now, the boat can be steered with the second steering device 60 which is operatively connected to the second shift plate 18 in the manner described, and the first plate 17 is inoperative and pivotal independent of the second shift plate.

In FIG. 4, a slight modification has been made in the apparatus described in relation to FIGS. l-3. Here there are two auxiliary control cable assemblies 65 and 66 connected to a clutch bar 34'. An elongated cylindrical plug 67 is mounted in the flange supports 37 and a pair of parallel internally threaded bores 68 and 69 are cut into the plug perpendicular to the axis of the plug. In this embodiment an anchoring member 70 is pivotally mounted on the raised journal portion 40' of the arm 10 in a similar manner as described above. This anchoring member 70 has a pair of threaded bores 71 and 72 therein to receive core elements 73 and 74 of the two auxiliary control cable assemblies. The opposite ends of the auxiliary control cable assemblies lead to one of the two steering stations and can be attached to a suitable knob type mounting arrangement like the one described in the first embodiment. By providing .two auxiliary cable casings as described, the clutch bar can be pivoted and the steering operation can be shifted from one steering device to another from both steering stations and not just one as described in the apparatus of the first embodiment.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for turning a shaft which is selectively operable by one of a plurality of control assemblies comprising:

(a) a lever arm,

(:b) connecting means on said lever arm for attachment to said shaft,

(0) a plurality of shift units mounted on said anrn such that each is independently movable,

(d) a secondary lever portion fixedly extending from each of said units to which one of said control assemblies is attachable, and

(e) clutch means on said arm for selective interlocking engagement with any one of said shift units to permit the engaged unit and the lever arm to turn together independent of the other shift units.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of control assemblies comprises two, and said .plurality of shift units comprises two which are mounted pivotally on said arm.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said lever arm is substantially flat, said shift units comprise plates independently pivotal about the same axis but spaced from each other, and said clutch means is positioned on said arm for said selective locking engagement with either one of said plates.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said shift plates are mounted coaxially and on opposite sides of said arm but substantially in registry with each other and pivot independently, each of said plates having an arcuate opening formed therein, said opening defining boundary surfaces within said plate, and said clutch means comprising a clutch bar mounted on said arm and positioned within said openings adjacent said surfaces for said selective locking engagement, said clutch means maintaining said locking engagement during both forward and rearward movement of said arm.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising (a) a plurality of pushpull control cable assemblies, each of which is attached to one of said shift units and is operable at its operating station, and (b) means on each of said shift units for attachment to one of said control assemblies, said clutchmeans permitting said shaft to be turned by any one of said control cable assemblies independent of the other control cable assemblies, said clutch means maintaining said locking engagement during both forward and rearward movement of said arm.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said plurality of push-pull control cable assemblies comprises two, and said apparatus further comprises a secondary lever portion on each respective shift unit for attachment to a respective push-pull control cable assembly.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said shift units comprise plates independently pivotal about the same axis and spaced from each other, and said clutch means is positioned for said selective locking engagement with either of said plates.

8. Apparatus :according to claim 7 wherein said shift plates are mounted on opposite sides of said arm and substantially in registry with each other, said plates have ar cuate openings formed therein, said openings defining boundary surfaces within said plate, and said clutch means comprises a clutch bar mounted on said arm and positioned within said openings adjacent said surfaces for said selective locking engagement.

9. Boat steering apparatus for steering :a tiller shaft from one of a plurality of respective steering stations comprising:

(a) a lever arm fixed to said shaft and extending therefrom,

(b) a plurality of shift units mounted on said arm and each independently movable thereon,

(c) a plurality of pushapull control cable assemblies, each of which is attached to one of said units and is operable at its steering stations,

(d) means on each of said units for attachment to one of said control assemblies,

(e) clutch means on said arm for selective interlocking engagement with any one of said units to permit the engaged unit and lever arm to turn together independent of the other units, said clutch means maintaining said locking engagement during both forward and rearward movement of said arm, and

(f) an auxiliary push-pull control cable assembly operatively connected to said clutch means for moving said clutch means in locking engagement with one of said units and said arm, whereby said shaft can be turned at a steering station by one of said control cable assemblies independent of any other control cable assembly.

10. Boat steering apparatus according to claim 9 where in the plurality of steering stations comprises two, the plurality of shift units comprises two which are pivota-lly mounted on said arm, the plurality of push-pull control cable assemblies comprises two, and the apparatus further comprises a secondary lever portion fixedly extending from the respective shift units for attachment to a respective push-pull control cable assembly.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein a pair of auxiliary cables is attache-d to said clutch means with one of said auxiliary cables operable at each of said steering stations.

12. Boat steering apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said shift units comprise plates independently pivotal about the same axis, but spaced from each other, said clutch means is pivotally mounted on said arm and positioned to pivot in said selected locking engagement with either of said shift plates, and said auxiliary push-pull control cable assembly is manually operable.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said shift plates have arcuate openings formed therein, said opening defining boundary surfaces within said plate, said clutch means comp-rises a clutch bar pivotally mounted on said arm and positioned within said openings to pivot in selected locking engagement with either of said plates to permit the engaged plate and lever arm to turn together independent of the other plate, and said auxiliary pushp ull control cable assembly is operatively connected to said clutch bar.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein a pair of auxiliary cables are attached to said clutch bar with one of said auxiliary cables operable at each of said steering stations.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,964,383 6/ 1934 Goodyear et al 74480 X 2,358,094 9/ 1944 Panish 74479 2,667,793 2/1954 Webster 74483 X 2,922,315 1/1960 Primeau 7447 1 X 3,187,845 6/1965 Ashley et a1 74481 X FOREIGN PATENTS 436,652 10/ 1935 Great Britain.

FRED C. MATTERN, JR., Primary Examiner. BROUGHTON G. DURHAM, Examiner. C,- F- GREEN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR TURNING A SHAFT WHICH IS SELECTIVELY OPERABLE BY ONE OF A PLURALITY OF CONTROL ASSEMBLIES COMPRISING: (A) A LEVER ARM, (B) CONNECTING MEANS ON SAID LEVER ARM FOR ATTACHMENT TO SAID SHAFT, (C) A PLURALITY OF SHIFT UNITS MOUNTED ON SAID ARM SUCH THAT EACH IS INDEPENDENTLY MOVABLE, (D) A SECONDARY LEVER PORTION FIXEDLY EXTENDING FROM EACH OF SAID UNITS TO WHICH ONE OF SAID CONTROL ASSEMBLIES IS ATTACHABLE, AND (E) CLUTCH MEANS ON SAID ARM FOR SELECTIVE INTERLOCKING ENGAGEMENT WITH ANY ONE OF SAID SHIFT UNITS TO PERMIT THE ENGAGED UNIT AND THE LEVER ARM TO TURN TOGETHER INDEPENDENT OF THE OTHER SHIFT UNITS. 